Strawberry Cheesecake Parfait Delight (Printable Version)

Creamy cheesecake layers with fresh strawberries and cookie crumbs in elegant dessert cups.

# Components:

→ Cheesecake Layer

01 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Strawberry Layer

05 - 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
06 - 1 tbsp granulated sugar
07 - 1 tsp lemon juice

→ Cookie Crumble

08 - about 8 digestive biscuits or graham crackers, crushed
09 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

# Method Steps:

01 - Combine diced strawberries with 1 tablespoon of sugar and lemon juice; set aside for 10 minutes to macerate.
02 - Mix crushed biscuits with melted butter until the mixture has a wet sand consistency.
03 - Beat cream cheese, heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract together until smooth and fluffy.
04 - Place a spoonful of cookie crumble at the bottom of each serving cup.
05 - Add a layer of cheesecake mixture over the crumble, then top with macerated strawberries.
06 - Repeat the layers once more, ending with strawberries on top.
07 - Refrigerate the layered cups for at least 1 hour to set and enhance texture.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • No oven required, so you can make it in the middle of summer without heating up the kitchen.
  • The layers look impressive in clear cups, but the whole thing comes together in twenty minutes.
  • You can prep these the night before and pull them straight from the fridge when guests arrive.
02 -
  • If your cream cheese is cold, the filling will stay lumpy no matter how long you beat it, so give it time to soften.
  • Don't skip macerating the strawberries, that syrup is what keeps the layers from tasting dry.
  • Clear cups or jars show off the layers, but any small bowl works if that's what you have.
03 -
  • Chill your mixing bowl and beaters for five minutes before whipping the cream cheese mixture, it fluffs up faster and holds better.
  • If the strawberries release too much juice, strain off a little before layering or the parfaits will get soupy at the bottom.
  • Use a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off to layer the cheesecake filling neatly without smearing the sides of the cup.
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